ISONET

The International Standards Organization (ISO) plays active role to coordinate the exchange of information about standards, between member countries through ISONET - the ISO Information Network. ISONET links the information centres of national standards bodies with each other and with the ISO/IEC Information Centre in Geneva.

Members of ISONET

Parties to the agreement are known as the members of the ISONET. A national member of ISONET is either the ISO member body (or correspondent member) or another competent body nominated by the ISO member. A country may be represented in ISONET by only one national member.

National members of ISONET may nominate other organisations in their countries as associate members if they consider it helpful in achieving the aims of the ISONET. A third type of member is the international affiliate. This is an international or regional body which has joined ISONET by invitation of the Secretary-General of ISO.

INFCO

The ISO Committee on Information Systems and Services, INFCO, deals with matters relating to standards information services and marketing and sales of standards publications. INFCO also monitors and guides the activities of ISONET.

The main objective of INFCO is to help member bodies achieve efficiency through coordinated and harmonised activities in relation to information services, databases and marketing of standards, technical regulations and related documentation.

In Singapore, the Information Centre of the Singapore Productivity and Standards Board (PSB) is the national member to the ISONET and serves as the ISONET enquiry point for the country.

As the national enquiry point for ISONET, PSB's Information Centre handles a variety of enquiries on standards-related matters, including technical regulations which could be a potential source of technical barriers to trade. It provides assistance to local manufacturers, importers and exporters by maintaining up-to-date collections of local and foreign national standards, regional and international standards, technical regulations and related materials for reference and research.

Besides providing information Support to local industries, the Information Centre as Singapore's ISONET enquiry point, also handles enquiries from other national standards organisations on matters relating to Singapore standards, codes of practice and technical regulations affecting trade and business relations with Singapore.

PSB, Singapore